James Augustine Healy
Encyclopedia
James Augustine Healy was the first African-American Roman Catholic priest and the first African-American Roman Catholic bishop in the United States
. He identified and was accepted as a white Irish-American, as he was of majority white ancestry; when he was ordained in 1854, his mixed-race ancestry was not widely known outside his mentors in the Catholic Church. (Augustus Tolton, a former slave who was publicly known to be black when ordained in 1886, is therefore sometimes credited as the first black Catholic priest in the U.S.) Healy was one of nine mixed-race siblings of the Catholic Healy family of Georgia
who survived to adulthood and achieved many "firsts" in United States history.
in 1839 to an Irish
immigrant plantation owner and his common-law wife Eliza, a mixed-race African American
slave. Born in 1795, Michael Morris Healy immigrated from County Roscommon
in Ireland
in 1818. He eventually acquired 1500 acres (6.1 km²) of land in Jones County, Georgia
, across the Ocmulgee River
from the market town of Macon
. He became among the more prominent and successful planter
s of the area, and eventually owned 49 slaves for his labor-intensive enterprise. Among these was a girl named Mary Eliza Smith, whom he took as his wife in 1829. Various accounts have described Ms. Smith as "slave" or "former slave", and as mulatto
or African American (the latter can include people of mixed ancestry). The common-law marriage
of Michael and Mary Healy was not such an unusual occurrence among immigrants. Most of their ten children, all but one of whom survived to adulthood, achieved noteworthy success as adults, helped by Healy's financial success and the educations he ensured for them.
Beginning in 1837, like many other wealthy planters with mixed-race children, Michael Healy started sending his mixed-race sons to school in the North. James, Hugh and Patrick
went to Quaker schools in Flushing, New York. Later they each attended the newly opened College of the Holy Cross
in Worcester, Massachusetts
. James graduated valedictorian
of the College's first graduating class in 1849. Younger brothers Sherwood began at Holy Cross in 1844, and Michael in 1849, in its grammar school.
as it was a slave state. With the help of John Bernard Fitzpatrick
, the founder of the College of the Holy Cross, James entered a Sulpician seminary
in Montreal
. In 1852, he transferred to study at Saint Sulpice
Seminary in Paris
, working toward a doctorate
and a career as a seminary professor
. After a change of heart, he decided to become a pastor
. On June 10, 1854, he was ordained as a priest of Boston, Massachusetts at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. He was the first African American to be ordained a Roman Catholic priest, but during the 19th century, numerous American priests studied in Paris.
When Healy returned to the United States, he became an assistant pastor in Boston
and served the Archbishop, who helped establish his standing. Like the rest of his siblings, Healy generally identified as and was accepted as a white Irish Catholic. In 1866 Healy became the pastor of St. James Church, the largest Catholic congregation in Boston. In 1874 when the Boston legislature was considering taxation of churches, Healy defended Catholic institutions as vital organizations that helped the state both socially and financially. He also condemned existing laws, which were generally enforced only on Catholic institutions.
His success in the public sphere led to his appointment by Pope Pius IX
to the position of second bishop of Portland, Maine
. Healy was officially ordained as Bishop of Portland on June 2, 1875, becoming the first African American ordained as a Catholic bishop. For 25 years, he governed his large diocese, supervising also the founding of the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire
, when it was split from Portland in 1885. During his time in Maine
, which was a period of extensive immigration
from Catholic countries, Healy oversaw the establishment of 60 new churches, 68 missions, 18 convents and 18 schools.
Patrick Francis Healy
, became a Jesuit, earned a PhD
in Paris, and is now considered the first African American to have gained the degree. He was named a dean at Georgetown University
in 1866. At the age of 39, in 1874, he assumed the presidency of what was then the largest Catholic college in the United States.
Alexander Sherwood Healy was also ordained as a priest, and earned his doctorate degree at the Sulpician Academy in Paris, where he became an expert in canon law
and Gregorian chant
. After working with his brother in Boston, he was appointed director of the Catholic seminary in Troy, New York
and rector of the Cathedral in Boston. His career was cut short by an early death at age 39.
Younger brother Michael Augustine Healy preferred a more adventuresome life. He left the school at the age of 16 to go to sea. In England
, he signed aboard the East Indian clipper Jumna as a cabin boy in 1854 and quickly became an expert seaman, rising to an officer. In 1864, Michael Healy returned to his family in Boston. He applied for a commission in the Revenue Cutter Service and was accepted as a Third Lieutenant, his commission being signed by President Abraham Lincoln
. In 1880, Healy became the first African American to be assigned command of a US government ship. During the last two decades of the 19th century, Captain Healy was essentially the federal government’s law enforcement presence in the vast Alaska territory. Commissioned in 1999, the U.S. Coast Guard research icebreaker USCGC Healy (WAGB-20)
is named in his honor.
The three Healy daughters became nuns, although Martha, the first, soon left the order and moved to Boston, where her brothers were. She married an Irish immigrant and they had one son. Josephine Healy joined the Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph in Canada.
Eliza Healy (1846–1918) joined the Congregation of Notre Dame
in Montreal
. After teaching for years at Catholic schools in Quebec and Ontario, in 1903 she was appointed the first African-American Mother Superior
at a Catholic convent and school, the Villa, in St. Alban, Vermont.
Eugene Healy (1848-?), the youngest son, struggled in his life and did not achieve as much as his siblings.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He identified and was accepted as a white Irish-American, as he was of majority white ancestry; when he was ordained in 1854, his mixed-race ancestry was not widely known outside his mentors in the Catholic Church. (Augustus Tolton, a former slave who was publicly known to be black when ordained in 1886, is therefore sometimes credited as the first black Catholic priest in the U.S.) Healy was one of nine mixed-race siblings of the Catholic Healy family of Georgia
Healy family of Georgia
The Healy family of Georgia became notable in U.S. history because the siblings achieved much in the second half of the nineteenth century, most within the Catholic Church. They were born in Jones County, Georgia to Mary Eliza, a mulatto slave, and her common-law husband, Michael Morris Healy, an...
who survived to adulthood and achieved many "firsts" in United States history.
Youth, education
Father Healy was the eldest of 10 siblings born near Macon, GeorgiaMacon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
in 1839 to an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
immigrant plantation owner and his common-law wife Eliza, a mixed-race African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
slave. Born in 1795, Michael Morris Healy immigrated from County Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1818. He eventually acquired 1500 acres (6.1 km²) of land in Jones County, Georgia
Jones County, Georgia
Jones County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 10, 1807. As of 2010, the population was 27,740 . The county seat is Gray.-History:The county is named after U.S...
, across the Ocmulgee River
Ocmulgee River
The Ocmulgee River is a tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi long, in the U.S. state of Georgia...
from the market town of Macon
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
. He became among the more prominent and successful planter
Planter
Planter may refer to:*A flower pot or box for plants**Jardinière, one such type of pot*A person or object engaged in sowing seeds**Planter , implement towed behind a tractor, used for sowing crops through a field*A coloniser...
s of the area, and eventually owned 49 slaves for his labor-intensive enterprise. Among these was a girl named Mary Eliza Smith, whom he took as his wife in 1829. Various accounts have described Ms. Smith as "slave" or "former slave", and as mulatto
Mulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
or African American (the latter can include people of mixed ancestry). The common-law marriage
Common-law marriage
Common-law marriage, sometimes called sui juris marriage, informal marriage or marriage by habit and repute, is a form of interpersonal status that is legally recognized in limited jurisdictions as a marriage even though no legally recognized marriage ceremony is performed or civil marriage...
of Michael and Mary Healy was not such an unusual occurrence among immigrants. Most of their ten children, all but one of whom survived to adulthood, achieved noteworthy success as adults, helped by Healy's financial success and the educations he ensured for them.
Beginning in 1837, like many other wealthy planters with mixed-race children, Michael Healy started sending his mixed-race sons to school in the North. James, Hugh and Patrick
Patrick Francis Healy
Patrick Francis Healy was the 29th President of Georgetown University known for expanding the school following the American Civil War. He was accepted as and identified as Irish-American. Healy Hall, a National Historic Landmark, was constructed during Healy's tenure and is named after him...
went to Quaker schools in Flushing, New York. Later they each attended the newly opened College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. James graduated valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
of the College's first graduating class in 1849. Younger brothers Sherwood began at Holy Cross in 1844, and Michael in 1849, in its grammar school.
Career
Following graduation, James wished to enter the priesthood. He could not study at the Jesuit novitiate in MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
as it was a slave state. With the help of John Bernard Fitzpatrick
John Bernard Fitzpatrick
John Bernard Fitzpatrick was an Irish American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Boston from 1846 until his death in 1866.-Early life and education:...
, the founder of the College of the Holy Cross, James entered a Sulpician seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. In 1852, he transferred to study at Saint Sulpice
Saint-Sulpice (Paris)
Saint-Sulpice is a Roman Catholic church in Paris, France, on the east side of the Place Saint-Sulpice, in the Luxembourg Quarter of the VIe arrondissement. At 113 metres long, 58 metres in width and 34 metres tall, it is only slightly smaller than Notre-Dame and thus the second largest church in...
Seminary in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, working toward a doctorate
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
and a career as a seminary professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
. After a change of heart, he decided to become a pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
. On June 10, 1854, he was ordained as a priest of Boston, Massachusetts at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. He was the first African American to be ordained a Roman Catholic priest, but during the 19th century, numerous American priests studied in Paris.
When Healy returned to the United States, he became an assistant pastor in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and served the Archbishop, who helped establish his standing. Like the rest of his siblings, Healy generally identified as and was accepted as a white Irish Catholic. In 1866 Healy became the pastor of St. James Church, the largest Catholic congregation in Boston. In 1874 when the Boston legislature was considering taxation of churches, Healy defended Catholic institutions as vital organizations that helped the state both socially and financially. He also condemned existing laws, which were generally enforced only on Catholic institutions.
His success in the public sphere led to his appointment by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
to the position of second bishop of Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
. Healy was officially ordained as Bishop of Portland on June 2, 1875, becoming the first African American ordained as a Catholic bishop. For 25 years, he governed his large diocese, supervising also the founding of the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire
Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the region of New England in the United States comprising the entire state of New Hampshire...
, when it was split from Portland in 1885. During his time in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, which was a period of extensive immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
from Catholic countries, Healy oversaw the establishment of 60 new churches, 68 missions, 18 convents and 18 schools.
Legacy and honors
- Healy's papers are held by he College of the Holy Cross, Worcester; the Archives of the Archdiocese of Boston, and the Archives of the Archdiocese of Portland, Maine.
- The Archdiocese of Boston, Office for Black Catholics, has designated the Bishop James Augustine Healy Award to honor dedicated black parishioners.
- In 1975, Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan of Atlanta and Bishop Raymond Lessard of Savannah donated a bronze plaque to be dedicated in Jones County, Georgia, commemorating the Georgia-born Healy.
Siblings
All four of the older Healy brothers (James, Hugh, Patrick, and Sherwood) graduated from Holy Cross. Hugh decided to go into business in New York, but died from an infection contracted in a boating accident at age 21. Patrick and Sherwood each entered the priesthood.Patrick Francis Healy
Patrick Francis Healy
Patrick Francis Healy was the 29th President of Georgetown University known for expanding the school following the American Civil War. He was accepted as and identified as Irish-American. Healy Hall, a National Historic Landmark, was constructed during Healy's tenure and is named after him...
, became a Jesuit, earned a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Paris, and is now considered the first African American to have gained the degree. He was named a dean at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in 1866. At the age of 39, in 1874, he assumed the presidency of what was then the largest Catholic college in the United States.
Alexander Sherwood Healy was also ordained as a priest, and earned his doctorate degree at the Sulpician Academy in Paris, where he became an expert in canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
and Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
. After working with his brother in Boston, he was appointed director of the Catholic seminary in Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
and rector of the Cathedral in Boston. His career was cut short by an early death at age 39.
Younger brother Michael Augustine Healy preferred a more adventuresome life. He left the school at the age of 16 to go to sea. In England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, he signed aboard the East Indian clipper Jumna as a cabin boy in 1854 and quickly became an expert seaman, rising to an officer. In 1864, Michael Healy returned to his family in Boston. He applied for a commission in the Revenue Cutter Service and was accepted as a Third Lieutenant, his commission being signed by President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. In 1880, Healy became the first African American to be assigned command of a US government ship. During the last two decades of the 19th century, Captain Healy was essentially the federal government’s law enforcement presence in the vast Alaska territory. Commissioned in 1999, the U.S. Coast Guard research icebreaker USCGC Healy (WAGB-20)
USCGC Healy (WAGB-20)
USCGC Healy is a research icebreaker put into commission in 1999 by the United States Coast Guard.-Construction:Healy was constructed by Avondale Industries in New Orleans, Louisiana and named in honor of Captain "Hell Roaring" Michael A. Healy U.S.R.C.S. Her keel was laid on September 16, 1996...
is named in his honor.
The three Healy daughters became nuns, although Martha, the first, soon left the order and moved to Boston, where her brothers were. She married an Irish immigrant and they had one son. Josephine Healy joined the Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph in Canada.
Eliza Healy (1846–1918) joined the Congregation of Notre Dame
Congregation of Notre Dame
The Congregation of Notre Dame was founded in 1653 by Marguerite Bourgeoys in Montreal, Canada. This was one of the first non-cloistered communities. The community's motherhouse has continued to be based in Montreal...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. After teaching for years at Catholic schools in Quebec and Ontario, in 1903 she was appointed the first African-American Mother Superior
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
at a Catholic convent and school, the Villa, in St. Alban, Vermont.
Eugene Healy (1848-?), the youngest son, struggled in his life and did not achieve as much as his siblings.
See also
- Healy family of GeorgiaHealy family of GeorgiaThe Healy family of Georgia became notable in U.S. history because the siblings achieved much in the second half of the nineteenth century, most within the Catholic Church. They were born in Jones County, Georgia to Mary Eliza, a mulatto slave, and her common-law husband, Michael Morris Healy, an...
- Irish immigrants
- Mixed race relationships
- List of African-American firsts